Ugandan Early Returns Back `No Party' System

July 1, 2000|By IAN FISHER The New York Times

KAMPALA, Uganda — Early results of a referendum on Uganda's political future showed Friday that more than 80 percent of voters want to continue with the current "no-party" system advocated by the nation's president.

But opponents of the president, Yoweri Museveni, still declared victory, saying the turnout was far too low for him to claim a strong mandate. His opponents had called for a boycott on a referendum on whether to continue with the so-called Movement system or return to a multiparty system. Based on returns counted by Friday evening, just 40.5 percent of registered voters took part, far less than the roughly 75 percent in the 1996 presidential election.

In this campaign Museveni, a former bush fighter who took power in 1986, has argued that political parties merely divide Uganda by tribe and religion. Those divisions, he says, gave rise to two dictators, Idi Amin and Milton Obote.

But supporters of the multiparty system say that the Movement system -- which allows political parties in name only -- violates the freedom of association guaranteed by the constitution. Moreover, they argue, the Movement is a one-party system, which they say Museveni manipulates to his advantage.